


No Holding Back

by Pigeon_theoneandonly



Series: Ben Shepard [3]
Category: Mass Effect - All Media Types, Mass Effect Trilogy
Genre: First Kiss, M/M, Mass Effect 3, Short & Sweet, Tender - Freeform, soft, the kind of breath-catching fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-27
Updated: 2020-09-27
Packaged: 2021-03-06 20:01:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 505
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26294566
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pigeon_theoneandonly/pseuds/Pigeon_theoneandonly
Summary: Following the showdown with Udina, Shepard and Kaidan share an unexpected moment.
Relationships: Kaidan Alenko/Male Shepard
Series: Ben Shepard [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1910524
Comments: 8
Kudos: 21





	No Holding Back

After Ben Shepard shot Udina and Bailey’s squad poured out of the elevators, a lot of things happened very quickly. C-Sec swarmed the Council and cut off his view of Kaidan. There was no chance to see how he was coping, much less smooth anything over, before the squad cars began to arrive and the entire mass of them were packed off the platform and airlifted back to the embassies.

They weren’t in the same car. The ride seemed to take a small eon. James kept rambling. He was shook up, for sure, and Shepard didn’t have any patience for it now, not when he felt so off-balance himself. Thinking about Kaidan’s pistol and his rifle and how close a thing it was, how they could possibly go on living in a world where that had happened. It felt more surreal than the reaper invasion itself.

Then they were outside Bailey’s office. The Council hustled inside. Garrus took James to find a vending machine, any kind of distraction, but the two spectres had no such luxury, waiting for their turns to be interrogated. A kind of calm had descended. A moment of suspended peace in the chaos, delicate, certain to be short-lived. But for now, Kaidan and Ben were alone in the hall.

After a few seconds of that silence, Kaidan started to speak. Faltered when he saw Ben’s face. Hesitancy replaced by a certain trepidation of whatever he read there.

Weeks of worry and frustration since Mars finally boiled over. Ben crossed the hallway in two long strides, pushed Kaidan against the wall, and kissed him. Hard. Kaidan spluttered, but his body gave him away– pulling Shepard tight, lips parting readily, giving every bit as good as he got– right up until the warning bells went off. He pulled back, still clutching at Shepard’s shirt, his eyes searching. Shocked out of all self-control and into a fragile vulnerability that left Ben a puddle on the floor. Tried once, licked his lips, and then managed a bare whisper. "I’m sorry, are you sure…"

Shepard leaned back in. Gentler this time. Their noses brushing, a little cautious, a little eager, trying to prolong this moment and make it right, until their lips touched again. Soft and exploratory and achingly tender. His fingers caressed Kaidan’s rough cheek. Kaidan’s arms slid around his waist, their breaths mingled, so close Ben could swear he felt Kaidan’s heart beating under his own. They might have been the only two people on the entire Citadel.

When it came to a natural conclusion, Ben drew back, only inches from Kaidan’s face. His hand slid under his chin and lifted it until their eyes locked. Quietly, he said, “Don’t ever make me pull a gun on you again.”

They looked up at the sound of a throat forcibly cleared. One of Bailey’s aides stood at the hatch, beet red. "Commander Shepard, excuse me, the Council’s waiting for you inside.“

Ben gave Kaidan one last lingering look, and left him floundering in the hall.


End file.
